


About Time

by Higgles123



Category: Legend (2015)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-23
Updated: 2020-02-23
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:07:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22863007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Higgles123/pseuds/Higgles123
Summary: Reader is long time friends with the Krays and is in love with Ronnie, but he doesn't reciprocate her feelings. Or does he?
Relationships: ronniekray/reader
Comments: 2
Kudos: 38





	About Time

You didn’t need to look up from the glass you were polishing to know that it was Ronnie who had just walked through the front door of the club. That menacing aura that surrounded him was tangible in the air, but while for most people it was something to be feared, for you it was nothing but a comfort.

Your entire life had been spent living next door to Ronnie and Reggie Kray, who despite being a few years older than you, had come to be dear friends of yours. They had always looked out for you for as long as you could remember. Ever since that day when Simon Abelson had pushed you over in the street and Ronnie had punched him in the face, you had been the best of friends. While Reggie had always been the more friendly and charismatic of the two, it was Ronnie that you had bonded with the most. Perhaps it was that he was always scowling whereas you were always smiling, or that he preferred to listen while you most definitely preferred to talk.

You knew people feared Ronnie and his violent outbursts. You, yourself had witnessed them more times than you could count, but with you he was nothing but sweet and gentle. He was the giant teddy bear of a man who hugged you when you were sad and cooked for you when you were sick. But that was a secret you had to take to the grave. No one could know that Ronnie could cook, and that he could cook well.

“What are them two arguing about then?” Ronnie asked you, perching on his usual stool at the bar.

“Christ only knows,” you replied, placing a glass tumbler in front of him and filling it with his favourite whiskey. “Then again, Christ probably doesn’t know either. When aint Albie and Gina arguing?”

“True,” Ronnie conceded with a tilt of his head. He lifted the glass to you in a small salute before taking a sip. “I wish they’d stop fucking doing it in my club though.”

“At least no-one’s in here,” you smiled. “And in Albie’s defence, he did try and get Gina to go home but she weren’t having none of it. She loves to create a scene don’t she? From what little I can gather, Albie smiled at Claudette Mason and now Gina’s got the right hump. She’s even threatening to call off the engagement.”

“Cos that would be a shame,” Ronnie grumbled sarcastically.

“I don’t know how he puts up with her,” you said honestly, watching as poor Albie attempted to placate his emotionally over sensitive and very high maintenance fiancee. “She’s a proper witch. I gave her a glass of wine before while she was waiting for Albie and the cheeky bitch brought it back to say there was a lipstick stain on it. Funny that it was the exact same tacky pink shade that she had on.”

“Jealous are we, Y/N?” Ronnie teased lightly. “I always reckoned you liked Albie.”

“Ha, he wishes,” you grinned.

No, Albie- as sweet as he may be- wasn’t really your cup of tea. You didn’t know what your cup of tea was exactly. That was a lie. A great big fat Pinocchio type lie. There was only one person that was your cup of tea and unfortunately you weren’t theirs. Strangely though, you had made peace with it and were more than happy to have Ronnie as your friend for the rest of your days. Life was better with him in it and it didn’t matter in what capacity.

“Well, you never seem to talk about any fellas so you can understand why I thought you might be pining over someone you can’t have,” Ronnie smirked.

_Oh, if only you know, Ron._

“Nah, I’m just not interested,” you answered truthfully. “If someone comes along and they seem alright then I’ll consider it.”

“Alright?” Ronnie frowned. “Don’t you be settling for just alright, Y/N. You deserve only the best.”

“You have to say that,” you smiled warmly at him.

“I do not,” Ronnie shook his head. “When my cousin, Sheena, had that last kid of hers I was supposed to say that it was cute to look at cos that’s what you just have to say aint it? But I didn’t. I told her the truth which was that the baby’s face resembled a squashed cabbage and hopefully she’d grow into her looks.”

You snorted as you remembered the bollocking Ronnie had gotten from his mother for that. Didn’t matter that Ronnie Kray could literally squash a man with his bare hands, he never so much as raised his voice to his mother, not even when she told him off.

“So don’t doubt that when I say something, it’s only because I mean it,” he narrowed his eyes at you.

“Alright boss,” you grinned.

“Don’t call me that,” Ronnie huffed. “You know I hate you working here as it is. You’re too smart to be cleaning and pouring drinks. You should be using that brain of yours for something better.”

“And you know that I don’t wanna do something better. I like working here, Ron.”

“Hmm,” he harrumphed, but was refrained from saying anything further when Gina suddenly slapped Albie around the face and the sound reverberated throughout the empty room.

She stormed off, her heels click clacking angrily across the floor, before flinging the door opening and slamming it closed behind her. Albie put a hand to his reddened cheek and sighed.

“Want some ice for that Albie?” you called over.

“He don’t need no bloody ice for a little love tap like that,” Ronnie scoffed. “Albie, why don’t you just bin her off mate? She’s a right nightmare.”

“That’s putting it lightly,” you muttered under your breath.

“It aint that easy, Ron,” Albie leaned against the bar, rubbing his cheek and smiling when you shoved his hand out of the way and placed a cold tea towel against the red mark. “I love her.”

“Fucking hell,” Ronnie muttered, rolling his eyes. “If that’s love then I’d sooner do without, I tell you.”

“I never thought I’d say this but Ronnie might have a point,” you said. “You might love her but she’s making your life miserable, Albie. You deserve someone who’s gonna treat you with the respect you treat them with. You talk to another girl, or in this case look at one, and she goes berserk. I’m not being funny but I’ve known you my entire life and I know you would never even entertain the idea of another woman when you’ve got Gina, but if she doesn’t know that by now then will she ever?”

“She’s just… she’s got a lot of trust issues cos of her last boyfriend,” Albie tried to defend Gina. “And when she’s not picking a fight with me, we’re really happy.”

“Hmm,” Ronnie pulled a disbelieving face at that comment.

“Anyway, I’m gonna get going,” Alfie straightened his tie and stood up a little straighter. “If I’m quick I’ll make it to the florists before it shuts and I can get her some of them white roses she really likes.”

“Bye Alb,” you smiled, waiting for him to leave the building before you spoke again. “Poor man. He’s completely under the thumb.”

“You reckon?” Ronnie frowned. “I aint convinced myself.”

“I guarantee you that they’ll be married before the end of next year.”

“Ha, not a fucking chance,” Ronnie snorted.

“Care to place a little wager on it?” you grinned.

“No. And only because I don’t wanna be taking any money from you when I’m right and you’re wrong.”

“You’re gonna swallow your words, Kray. I bet you ten pounds.”

“Ten pounds? You having a laugh?”

“What?” you smirked. “Scared of losing?”

Ronnie narrowed his eyes at you and you could see the cogs working in his head. Eventually he let out a sigh and held out his hand.

“You’ve got yourself a deal.”

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

_Three months later_

Ronnie’s eyes followed you as you threw back your head and laughed at something Reggie was saying to you. You looked beautiful with your hair down and the peach lace dress that set off your skin perfectly. He definitely didn’t mind losing a bet if it meant he got to see you like this. 

“Ron, get over here,” Reggie waved him over. “Me and Y/N was just talking about that time she got her head stuck in the railings at the park and you had to use the phone box to get the fire brigade to come out.”

“Fucking hell,” Ronnie grinned, remembering the day as clearly as if it had happened yesterday. “You really were stupid sometimes.”

“If you recall, I only did it cos you dared me to,” you narrowed your eyes at him. 

“Exactly my point!” Ronnie chortled. “If I’d have dared you to stick your head in an oven you would have probably done it just to prove a point.”

“Piss off,” you stuck your tongue out at him. 

“Now, now you two, leave all the fighting to the newlyweds,” Reggie grinned. “Poor Albie, saddled to her for the rest of his days now.”

“They look happy though,” you smiled watching Albie twirl his new wife, Gina around the dance floor. “Pregnancy obviously seems to have calmed her temper down.”

“Hmm,” Ronnie grunted, his eyes falling to the slight swell of Gina’s stomach. “I still reckon she got herself up the spout on purpose to trap Albie.”

“Trap him?” You scoffed. “She didn’t need to trap him because he dotes on her. I think it’s sweet.”

“Thought you didn’t like Gina?” Ronnie raised his eyebrows at you. 

“I don’t,” you smirked. “But it’s nice to see Albie so happy ain’t it? It’s nice to see that in this shit hole of a world that sometimes people can find happiness.”

“Fucking hell how much gin have you had to drink?” Ronnie rolled his eyes. “You sound like a right soppy cow.”

“Excuse me for a having a heart,” you glared playfully. “Right, which one of you boys is gonna have a dance with me?” 

“Well everyone knows I’m a much better dancer than Ronnie, so I reckon I’ll do the decent thing and take you for a spin,” Reggie stood up and held his hand out to you. 

“I’d watch your feet if I were you, Y/N,” Ronnie chuckled as you took Reggie’s outstretched hand and flung your handbag unceremoniously onto Ronnie’s lap. “What do you think I’m gonna do with this?”

“You’re gonna look after it for me,” you winked. “And if that tenner you owe me happens to fall in there while I’m gone, I wouldn’t be too upset.”

“Cheeky little minx,” Ronnie tutted at you but the second your back was turned, he pulled a twenty pound note out of his pocket and shoved it into your handbag, trying his hardest to resist the temptation to have a look through it. 

Women’s handbags were like some sort of secret. He often wondered just what on Earth they had that warranted needing to carry a bag around. His eyes flicked up towards the dance floor just in time to catch Reggie spinning you around flamboyantly and making you laugh. Feeling just the littlest bit guilty and a rather lot of curiosity, his brow furrowed as he popped open the clasp of your bag and a had a little peak. It was rather disappointing if truth be told. Make up, perfume, money, house keys, a comb... women really bothered carrying all this crap around daily? What a waste of fucking time.

Just as he was about to close your bag once again, his eyes caught sight of something and he pulled the sepia picture out and smiled fondly. It was a picture of you two taken about three years ago on Brighton beach. You were wearing a two piece polka dot suit that had made every bloke stop and stare at you. Not that you had paid them any attention though. You had been more interested in burying Reggie in the sand and swimming in the sea. The photo of you and Ron had been taken just as you had jumped on his back after swimming in the sea, and you had taken off his glasses to wear them yourself and then kissed him on the cheek. Ron felt his heart start suddenly as he remembered the feel of your bare skin against his. It had unnerved him then and he had done his best to put it to the back of his mind and fool around with Teddy and anyone else in the hopes of not thinking about you in that way. And most of the time he did a good job until something caught his eye; the photograph, you humming to yourself behind the bar when you thought you were alone, the way you sucked on your bottom lip when you were concentrating.

Nah, who was he fucking kidding. He thought about you constantly and thought about how your lips would feel against his. Would they be soft? Would they be timid? He would see you flirt harmlessly with some of the customers at the club, and even though it was just part of your job, it ate him up inside. He tried to convince himself that he wanted to see you settled down and happy with someone because you deserved it, and it was true. You deserved everything the world could offer and more. And all Ronnie wanted was to be the one to give you everything you deserved and more.

The picture was crushed as his fist clenched subconsciously around it. He swallowed and tried to calm himself as he felt his nostrils flare. Smoothing the picture with a trembling hand he placed it back in your bag and snapped the clasp shut. He couldn’t do this. Not right now. Dropping your bag on the table, his chair scraped loudly as he stood up. You were oblivious though; your face lit up as Reggie continued to spin you around like some sort of whirling top. Across the room, he caught Teddy’s eye and he didn’t even need to speak in order for Teddy to get the message.

He couldn’t have you so he would do what he always did instead. He would let Teddy’s mouth distract him enough to forget about you for just a while.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

_Two weeks later_

“Achoo!”

The glass in your hand shattered to the ground as you sneezed for the third time in as many minutes. You weren’t ill. Not a chance. You never got ill; didn’t have the time for it. Maybe if you convinced yourself that you weren’t ill then it would magically go away all by itself. But even as you tried to convince yourself that you were only ridiculously hot because you hadn’t taken your cardigan off, you knew your plan was never going to work in a million years.

An hour later everything hurt. Your head, your arms, your legs. You were freezing cold one minute then boiling hot the next, and all you wanted to do was close your eyes and sleep. You looked at the clock on the wall and decided to take your break. Only you didn’t want food; you just needed a little power nap to help you get through the rest of your shift, and there was still two hours until opening anyway.

After downing a glass of water and grabbing an aspirin out of the first aid box behind the counter, your heavy legs managed to make it to the booth that Ronnie and Reggie always sat at. They wouldn’t mind you catching forty winks there and the cushions smelt of Ronnie’s aftershave which made you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Or was that the fever?

No it was definitely Ronnie.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

You rolled over and groaned. Your back was in agony and your head felt like it had been hit repeatedly with a blunt object of some variety. You opened your eyes, fighting with your eyelids to remain that way, and it took you a moment to register that you had no idea where you were. You tried to sit up when a hand pushed you back down.

“Lie you down, you silly mare.”

“Ronnie?” you croaked. “Where the hell am I?”

“At the Ritz, where do you think?” he scoffed. “You’re at mine. Me and Reggie found you conked out back at the club and I brought you back here. You’ve been out solid for two days.”

“What?” you gasped, trying to sit up again and groaning when a wave of nausea came over you. “Fuck.”

You felt Ronnie’s hand behind your head as he lifted it slightly and held a glass of water to your parched lips. You took a small sip and smiled gratefully.

“I reckon you shoulda been a nurse, Ron,” you teased. “You’d look nice in one of them uniforms with the little hat.”

“Fuck off,” he grumbled, but behind his glasses you could see that his eyes were smiling.

“Can I have a hug?” you asked suddenly.

“A hug?”

“Yeah,” you nodded. “You know that thing where two people wrap their arms around each other and give a little squeeze. Although, I understand if you don’t wanna catch whatever this is I’ve got.”

“Won’t make much difference now,” Ronnie muttered. “I’ve been sat in that armchair for the last two days and nights making sure you was alright. You were sick on me twice so I reckon if I’m gonna catch it, I’m gonna catch it, eh?”

“I was sick on you?” you grimaced. “Oh God, I’m so sorry. How embarrassing.”

“Nah,” Ron shook his head as he climbed into the bed beside you. “Aint the first time you’ve been sick on me and at least this time it’s cos you were ill and not cos you were drunk out of your face.”

“True,” you smiled to yourself as Ronnie wrapped his arms around you.

He felt so warm and safe. Before you knew it, you were fast asleep again.

Ronnie lay beside you, listening to your even breathing and letting his face become buried in your mane of hair that still managed to smell like apples, despite not having been washed for days. He knew it was wrong, but he had done this so many times over the last two days and nights; just held you and let himself pretend that you were in his arms because you wanted to be. That you were in his arms because you felt for him the way he felt for you.

And it was holding you tightly that he drifted off to sleep himself.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

_One month later_

“We’re closed,” you said, filling the till with change for the night ahead. “Come back in a few hours; we’ll be open then.”

“We aint come for a drink so don’t worry.”

You looked up into the smirking face of Mike Jobber. You hated that rat faced weasel; he always made you feel uncomfortable. But every time you had seen him in the past, Ronnie or Reg had been with you.

“If you’re looking for Reg or Ron, they aint here,” you said, hoping you sounded a lot braver than you felt.

Mike turned to look at the two cronies he had brought with him and smirked.

“That’s alright,” he smiled at you. “We can wait.”

You took a deep breath and wished you knew what to do. Truthfully, you couldn’t do anything. You were one woman against three burly men who were undoubtedly carrying an array of weapons.

“Why don’t you get us a drink while we wait?”

Nodding shakily, you poured them their drinks and then you suddenly remembered what Ronnie had once told you.

_“If you ever get into trouble and we aint here, there’s a loaded gun under the third beer pump.”_

Trying to look as inconspicuous as possible, you felt around and bit back a grin when you felt it.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

You looked up as Mike’s hand gripped your wrist so hard that you let out a whimper.

“Looks like Y/N fancies taking us all on,” he smirked. “Why don’t you come out from behind that bar and show us what you’ve got?”

The other men chortled and you yanked your arm out of Mike’s grip, cradling it against your chest. 

“What do you want?” you murmured.

“We’re just waiting to see our very dear friends,” he grinned. “And you being here is an added bonus. We know how fond the boys are of you and perhaps we’ll get the chance to find out why, eh?”

“You’ll find out nothing because if you don’t step away from that bar right now I’m gonna blow your fucking brains right out, mate.”

Your knees almost buckled with relief when you saw Ronnie stood there, a gun pointed at Mike’s ginger head. Behind him, Reggie and Albie had their own guns pointed at the remaining men.

“No need to be like that, Ronnie. We just came to deliver a message for Charlie Richardson. He says that he knows that burning down the Pig and Whistle was down to you, and he aint very happy about it.”

“What a shame for him,” Ronnie glared. “But do I look like I give a shit? Fuck off out of here and I might let you keep your teeth this time.”

“I reckon we might stay for a bit longer,” Jobber grinned. “We were just getting to know the lovely Y/N here. She’s certainly nice to look at aint she? Not that she’s your cup of tea, eh? Then again, if she sucks your cock, you can close your eyes and pretend she’s a fella can’t you, you fucking puff.”

You didn’t even see it happen, but all of a sudden, Jobber was on the floor and Ronnie was on top of him knocking seven bells out of him. Reggie told you to go to the office and not to come out before he took on one of Jobber’s cronies.

The fight couldn’t have lasted more than ten minutes, but as you waited in the office it felt like an eternity. You held your breath as loud footsteps stomped angrily towards the office door and you cursed yourself for not locking it. But your fear turned to relief the second you saw Ronnie stood there, despite the blood pouring down his nose and his glasses sitting skewiff upon his face.

You opened your mouth to ask if he was alright when he grabbed your face and pressed his lips to yours desperately. You were so shocked that you didn’t react at first, then suddenly your mouth was moving against his as though it had always been that way. Ronnie lifted you up so that you sat on the desk and he stood in between your legs, never once breaking the kiss. His tongue delved into your mouth, seeking dominance which you gladly gave. His hands were gentle as cupped your face. Almost as quickly as it began though it was over and Ronnie pulled back as though he had been burned.

“I got blood on you,” he grunted, flinging a handkerchief at you and turning away to face the door.

“Ronnie, what the hell was that?” you asked.

“Nothing,” he muttered.

“You can’t just come in here and kiss me and then tell me it’s nothing,” you spat.

“I can if I want to,” he spun around and glared at you.

“Oh fuck off, Ron,” you jumped down from the desk and stepped towards him angrily even though you reached no higher than the base of his throat. “You know what? If you don’t wanna explain then that’s fine. I’m going to get cleaned up out there.”

“Wait,” he grabbed your wrist as you walked past him.

You hissed and when he noticed the mark Jobber had left there, his eyes darkened angrily. He lifted it to his mouth and kissed it gently, his eyes softer when he looked up at you.

“I’m sorry you had to deal with that,” he said quietly. “Would never have left you here alone if I thought they would have had the balls to come.”

“It’s not your fault,” you cupped his cheek and smiled. “Besides, nothing happened.”

“Yeah and what if we hadn’t have come back when we did? I can’t even think about it because the thought of something happening to you kills me inside.”

“Nothing happened, Ron,” you repeated a little more firmly this time. “I trust you to always keep me safe. You’re my best friend in the entire world.”

“What if I don’t wanna be that no more?” he murmured, his eyes tracing your face and wondering how he had never before noticed the tiny scar in between your eyebrows. “What if I want more than that?”

“You what?” you frowned at him as though he had lost his mind. “Did Jobber manage to punch you in the head or something?”

“I mean it, Y/N,” Ronnie let out a breath. “I dunno when I realised I was in love with you, but I thought I could handle just having you as my friend for the rest of our lives, but I don’t think I can.”

“Ronni-“

“-No, just let me finish,” he held up a hand to stop you. “I know you and me would never work cos you’re you and I’m me. You’re like sunshine and I’m like them great big dark rain clouds that appear and ruin a nice day. You’re like-“

This time it was you who silenced Ronnie. You placed your hand across his mouth and smiled, feeling happier than you ever thought you could have in your life.

“I love you, Ronnie Kray,” you grinned. “I’ve loved you for years. I just never thought you saw me like that.”

“What a right fucking pair we are,” Ronnie muttered against the palm of your hand.

“Tell me about it,” you chuckled, winding your arms around his neck and standing on your tiptoes to kiss him again.

You were so lost in the moment that neither of you heard Reggie and Albie walk in.

“Well it’s about fucking time,” Reggie grinned.


End file.
